15 two storey extension design ideas

Adding a two storey extension to your house could be the perfect solution to adding some much needed space to your home. If you are considering moving to a new home, it is worth thinking about the transformative effect that an extension could have on your home. Adding two storeys is also more cost effective than adding one, so if you are planning an single storey addition, upgrading to two might be a great idea.

Take a look at this list of beautiful two storey extensions, from traditional oak framed farmhouse designs, to contemporary glass boxes.

Two storey extension with traditional materials

The design brief:Oak frame design and build specialist Arboreta was tasked with creating more space by the owners of this stone-built farmhouse, which is located in a small town between Carmarthen and Lampeter in West Wales.

The extension was designed to take in the fabulous views of the garden from the new downstairs sunroom and upstairs bedroom through full-height glazing.

In order to create a finish that would be sympathetic to the period style of the main house, the exterior façade was clad in stone, while internally the exposed oak frame complements original beams.

The cost:A similar oak-framed extension would cost around £35,000 from Arboreta

Two storey glazed extension

The design brief:With the brief of creating a light, open scheme reminiscent of their old loft apartment, the owners of this London home hired Paul Archer Design and IQ Glass to create a double-height extension that links the lower-ground floors together. A glass box-style dining room with bi-fold doors allows the family to enjoy the garden year- round, while a glazed balcony to the living area above makes the spaces feel connected.

The cost: This extension cost £36,000 for the glazing design, materials and construction

Treehouse style two storey extension

The design brief:To gain extra family space, the owner of this East Renfrewshire home called on architects Atelier-M to add an open-plan kitchen/dining/living room with a master suite upstairs. Located next to a steep wooded embankment, the extension was conceived as a treehouse, with an independent stilted structure connected by the roof dormers. Downstairs, the extension is finished in white render while the upper storey is clad in Scottish larch.

The cost: This project cost £288,000 for the materials and build.

Inside-outside space

The design brief:To maximise the potential of their 1930s Oxfordshire semi, the owners called on Riach Architects to create a functional living space and additional bedroom accommodation. The extension offers an improved relationship between the house and garden, with bi-fold doors opening out. It has also allowed for the creation of a generous kitchen-diner and, upstairs, a new bedroom and en suite. The rendered exterior façade matches the existing house.

Statement exterior

The design brief:With the arrival of a new baby, the owners of this 1950s home in Winchester were desperate for more space to suit their modern lifestyle. In response, AR Design Studio designed a large charcoal grey box-style extension with sliding glass panels to the garden, together with a western red cedar-clad sleeping pod for the two bedrooms above. The ground floor contains a kitchen/dining/living area, with a level threshold across to the outside patio.

The cost: This project cost £210,000 for the materials and build.

Brickwork contrast

The design brief:To create more space and open up the rear of this semi-detached Victorian villa in north London, Lipton Plant Architects designed an extension that runs the full width of the house on the lower-ground floor and part of the width of the upper- ground floor. The lower living/kitchen/dining space can be opened up to the garden through large sliding doors, while the office above has fantastic garden views. Beside it, a terrace creates a glass roof for the downstairs area. To contrast its modernity with the house’s weathered stock-brick exterior, the extension is clad in Staffordshire Slate Blue Smooth bricks.

The cost: A similar extension project would cost in the region of £2,400 per square metre.

Glass box two storey design

The design brief: Wanting a modern double-storey glass box with minimal sightlines, the owners of this London home tasked IQ Glass with creating a self-supporting structural glazed extension, with sliding doors on the ground floor that mirror the glass above. All the glazing is heated, radiating warmth up to eight metres from its surface, with temperature controlled by a wall-mounted thermostat.

The cost: Design, supply and installation of this glass box cost £60,000.

Minimalist two storey extension

The design brief: Architect Your Home was chosen to design an extension in keeping with the streetscene for this house in Surrey. The owners wanted a modern style with white rendered walls and sliding doors. Built in place of the garage, the extension creates a home office, utility and large kitchen that opens out onto the dining room and garden. Upstairs, two new bedrooms were created.

The cost: In total, this project cost around £156,000.

Eco-friendly scheme

The design brief: Architect Stephen Samuel of Samuel Kendall Associates wanted to gain space in his East Yorkshire home without increasing its carbon footprint. Salvaged bricks from a nearby agricultural building allow the extension to complement the original house, while the high-performance windows came from a local joiner. The extension, which has added a kitchen-diner, utility, sunroom and bedroom with en suite, also has high levels of insulation.

The cost: This entire project came in just under the £60,000 budget.

Two storey Atrium extension

The design brief: To connect the two distinct areas of their Swansea home, the owners commissioned an extension in the form of a glass atrium from Apropos. The stunning double-height design mirrors the roof pitch of the main building sections, to bridge the two wings of the house. The light-filled space is used as an entrance hall and quiet living area that allows the garden to be enjoyed all year.

The cost: A similar structure would cost around £150,000 for design, planning permission, materials, manufacturing and installation.

Classic garden room

The design brief: A desire for more living space led the owners of this Bristol property to contact Vale Garden Houses, which created an extension that adds a garden room off the existing downstairs living space and an enlarged kitchen-diner above; a roof lantern ensures the room is filled with natural light. Local stone was sourced to match the main building, with traditional timber used for the frame, incorporating decorative mouldings and classical columns. Sliding sash windows ensure continuity with the existing house.

The cost: Expect to pay £42,000 for a similar garden room extension from Vale.

Metallic finish

The design brief: With an existing extension that didn’t meet the needs of their growing family, the owners of this home in County Down turned to Des Ewing Residential Architects to replace it with a larger, contemporary design. The striking addition allowed for the reorganisation of the ground-floor rooms to make better use of the space, and includes a master suite upstairs, connecting with the garden through floor-to-ceiling glazing and a zinc-clad balcony.

The cost:A similar extension project would cost around £200,000.

Slimline two storey extension

The design brief:The challenge for architects Waind Gohil was to reconfigure this small detached Victorian house in south London to improve the living space on a tight budget. Due to the narrow plot, the extension is only 1.2 metres wide, built with a lightweight timber frame and finished with timber cladding. It has provided an improved staircase for the house and a new artist’s studio, allowing other living and bedroom areas to be enlarged.

The cost: This project was completed on a budget of £72,000.

Complete two storey makeover

The design brief: The owners of this detached house in Surrey asked Holland & Green for a full facelift of the dilapidated exterior, to include a two-storey extension with a spacious kitchen/dining/living room and a vaulted master suite above. The design of the dining and living space includes a short side addition with glazing to the front and rear that allows light into the core of the house. Upstairs, the bathroom and dressing room are also positioned centrally.

The cost:A similar two-storey addition would cost from £180,000.

Sculptural timber

The design brief: A love of the outdoors and an admiration for Nordic design inspired the owner of this north London house to specify a contemporary timber rear extension, created by Paul Archer Design. Made using frameless glass and linear timber panels, the new addition houses a double-height kitchen-diner. The glazing lets light deep into the house, while Douglas fir battens are used as cladding on the exterior, which extends partially over the glass to give a patterned effect. Timber is also used inside as wall lining.

The cost:Including the refurbishment and modernisation of the house, the total cost of this project was £720,000, excluding architect’s fees.

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